Cook's shot selection was spot on, he was positive in defence and his timing when rocking back to pull or cut was exemplary, but the South Africans gave him plenty of opportunities to score.

BBC: Pietersen reign starts with a win

Presiding over defence cuts could leave him short of positive achievements to boast of, though the government's decision to enshrine in law the military covenant (the state's duty of care to soldiers and their families) was a small victory for him.

ECONOMIST: The defence secretary

Leaders of respected environmental outfits such as Environmental Defence and the World Resources Institute have recently made positive noises about nuclear power as part of a response to global warming.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear power

Mr Rennie is also expected to stress the positive, saying that the Lib Dems' remain "resolute" in defence of the interests of hard-working families.

BBC: Scotland politics

Although BAE faces huge challenges, because of the squeeze in US and UK defence budgets, they believe their other international operations are in good shape - and they are positive about their small civil businesses.

BBC: How Germany killed the merger of BAE and EADS